Welcome to the Millennium Seed Bank Seed List

1. Users need to apply to be registered by us (see below) prior to being given access to the list. The 'User Code' supplied during registration will be strictly for the registered user whilst employed at the organisation and must be kept confidential.
2. Seed will only be supplied to users belonging to a recognised organisation, who make requests on behalf of that organisation.
3. No seed will be supplied to individuals acting in a private capacity. RBG Kew will not enter into correspondence on this matter.
4. Users must complete and sign a legally-binding Material Supply Agreement (MSA) on behalf of their organisation when requesting seeds.
5. Seed is only supplied for non-commercial purposes, as defined in the MSA.
6. Users must prevent the spread of invasive plants and plant pests / pathogens. It is therefore essential that they follow the guidance given in the section below which should be read before proceeding to registration / ordering.

Prevention of the spread of invasive plants and plant pests / pathogens

Overseas correspondents must check with their national authorities concerning import regulations and must send any necessary permits with their request. It should be noted that it will not normally be possible to provide phytosanitary certificates for the seed lots despatched.

Information on known invasive species that threaten biodiversity is available via the IUCN Invasive Species Specialist Group’s Global Invasive Species Database at http://issg.appfa.auckland.ac.nz/database/welcome. This database provides an initial prediction of regions in which the given species could become invasive. RBG Kew strongly encourages all seed list users to check this database and other available regional data sources for the species requested. However, it is not possible to reliably predict under which circumstances species will become invasive. Therefore, RBG Kew requires users to take all appropriate steps to contain the seeds supplied, the plants grown from them and (particularly) their progeny.

In addition, due to the risk of unforeseen pathogens, it is advisable that the germplasm is screened for diseases and kept in quarantine conditions even where this is beyond the requirements of national authorities.

Registration and access

1. If previously on our mailing list

You will have received your User Code by post. Please go to the Existing User Registration which will require the User Code. Once you have been registered and have logged your password, you may login to enter the system.

Forgotten your password?

2. If a potential new user

First, see the conditions above and check your eligibility. Then, if eligible, please submit your application for registration using the New User Registration form. If your application is successful, you will receive an email containing the User Code (within 15 working days) which will allow you access to the seed list and ordering facilities. If there is uncertainty about your qualification for registration, then RBG Kew will contact you. If your application does not meet the conditions of access above, you will not receive a response.

Then go to the Existing User Registration. First enter the User Code with which you have been issued. Then enter your email address. This will become your Login when you return to the list. Then enter your own password. Keep this confidential.

Format of the data in the seed list

1. Provenance

In the column headed 'WILD' you will see either 'Yes' or 'No'. 'No' means that the seed was collected from cultivated plants of known wild origin. In these cases, more detailed data about the original provenance are normally available, but will only be supplied if specifically requested. Where no source data are given, the seed was collected from cultivated plants whose original wild provenance is unknown and for which no further data exist.

It should be noted that many of the seed collections not directly taken from the wild have been produced under isolation conditions thereby preventing hybridisation with similar material growing nearby. However, this cannot be guaranteed for all collections.

A date following a collection marked 'No' represents the year that the original collection was made from the wild.

The country names and their subdivisions are primarily those used in the Times World Atlas.

2. Seed viability

Details of the conditions under which optimal germination was obtained on 1% water agar substrate are given on the packing note accompanying each seed request.

It should be remembered that the lower the germination percentage shown under optimal conditions, the greater is the probability of abnormal seedlings (brought about by the processes which lead to a loss of viability in stored seeds). Ability to establish under stressful conditions will also be less.

3. Identification

The classification system broadly used is that of R.K. Brummitt (1992) Vascular Plant Families and Genera. RBG Kew.

All of the accessions in the Seed List will have been verified in one of the following ways:

• The accession has been checked by Kew Herbarium and identification is given without qualification.
• The accession has been verified by an authority other than Kew Herbarium.
• Identification was made in the field by an acknowledged specialist.

E-Mail: seedbank@kew.org

© Copyright (2007), Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew